Neck Cracking

The second
implies forced cracking of the neck joints, such as during chiropractic treatment.

Learning
about these cracking or clicking sounds heard upon either activity is
interesting for many neck pain sufferers.

So many patients write to us
each month asking about the significance of these noises, so we decided
it was time to write a dedicated article covering the topic to enhance
your understanding of cracking or grinding sounds in the neck.

Neck Cracking from Movement

So many people with and without neck pain
complain that they hear clicking, cracking, grinding or crunching
sounds when they move their necks. Some hear these sounds upon
virtually any motion, while others hear them only during some movements.
In the latter case, side to side movement is most common, while up and
down movement is second in incidence.

There are several possible
sources of these noises, depending on the exact circumstances of each
patient’s anatomy and sound expression.

Noise may be due to muscular, ligament or tendon interaction with bone.

Noise
may also be produced when two or more bones come into contact with one
another. This particular scenario is common in the cervical spine,
since osteoarthritis, facet syndrome and other degenerative processes
are almost universal and involve the wearing away of protective
mechanisms in the spinal joints which would normally prevent bone to
bone contact.

Sound from internal anatomical surfaces rubbing together is often called crepitus.

Sound
may also be produced occasionally from gas escaping from the joints of
the spine. This will explain occasional loud popping noises, but will
not explain constant recurrent grinding or clicking noises heard upon
movement.

This process of gas liberation from joints is known as cavitation.

Neck Cracking from Chiropractic

When a person receives a chiropractic adjustment, the pressure in a
given spinal level is raised quickly, then instantaneously released.
This causes a vacuum effect in the joint, followed by gas release, known
as cavitation.

In some cases, patients may also hear grinding
or cracking noises due to crepitus, when the adjustment forces two or
more internal anatomical components to rub against one another. This may
occur due to disc pathologies, arthritic deterioration, vertebral
misalignment or abnormal spinal curvature.

In most cases, there
is no significance to the noise, although in rare cases, the sound may
be indicative of something which may be problematic in the spinal
column, especially when pain accompanies the noise each and every time
the spine is adjusted in a particular location.

Neck Cracking Fears

A grinding, cracking or popping sound in the neck is very common. I
get them all the time. In fact, I can not turn my head side to side
without hearing a steady grinding sound, like 2 heavy stones turning
against one another.

I also get occasional sharp pops in the
left clavicle region, accompanied by sudden shocks of discomfort. I am
sure this is some type of soft tissue condition related to neck tension
in my own case.

The grinding is surely the result of the many disc and
bone issues I have in my cervical region. All my discs are herniated
here and there is some substantial vertebral degeneration in place, as
well.

To learn more about why you have a popping, grinding or
cracking sound in your neck, consider talking to your doctor. I am
virtually sure they will not provide nearly the same degree of detail as
this article, but then again, maybe they might surprise you with some
insight.